High levels of a toxic “forever chemical” have been found in cereal products across Europe because of its presence in pesticides.
The most contaminated food is breakfast cereal, according to a study by Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN), with average concentrations 100 times higher than in tap water.
The study found trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a chemical produced when pesticides containing Pfas chemicals break down into the soil, in breakfast cereals, popular sweets, pasta, croissants, wholemeal and refined bread, and flour.
TFA is reprotoxic, which means it has the potential to harm human reproductive function, fertility, and foetal development. It has also been linked to adverse effects on thyroid, liver and immune functions. Campaigners are calling on governments to set a far more protective TFA safety limit and to ban all Pfas pesticides and other sources of TFA. Currently, governments do not monitor TFA in food.
TFA was detected in 81.5% of samples (53 out of 65 samples) across 16 European countries, with high contamination levels. Wheat products are significantly more contaminated than other cereal-based products.
which means it has the potential to harm human reproductive function, fertility
Oh, that’s fine, we mostly give those to children, and those don’t reproduce yet. So it’s not a problem.
Had me worried for a second.
Yeah its everywhere
At least, Europe is still watching out for such things, and not just ignoring them.
For now. We just got rid of the fossile fule cars ban and lessend restrictions for cars and foods, opening the way to american products…
And it’s worse than what we know.
There’s not a human alive today without plastic in them.
A fucking teaspoon man!
Yup. It is such a great time to be alive.
And governments dont really care, nore does the industry because…well why should they in their eyes. They want the quick buck now. All with the motto “it will be a problem for someone else later. Not me”
For the regards of plastic that atleast you can lessen in your own life by going plastic free. But with the microplastic in the water systems, pipes, aso, that cant be gotten rid of unless you are rich. And even then you already are full of PFAS and microplastics
I don’t think greed is the only answer. There is a legitimate demand for food, and pests are constantly adapting to various pesticides. I think the answer is greed and some other nuance.
Thought for food growth nore for fighting pestilance you need neither PFAS nore plastic. PFAS’ are especially used to make cloths hydrophobic and cooking wear “non stick”.
The first was invented by Tefflon
Just when James May and Sim cracked the sauce spoon!
Clearly, this timeline is cursed.
